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Japanese View of Nature

Japanese View of Nature

Japan is mainly in a mild, humid climate zone, where the changes of the seasons are clear. This type of climate was ideal for developing a rice farming based culture. Therefore, people living in this country are sensitive to changes of seasons and as a result, the national characteristic of being very sensitive to the nature was gradually fostered. Due to being an isolated island country surrounded by the sea, contact with other races was restricted to some extent, and in addition to the aforementioned characteristics, the way for generating a unique and rich culture was paved.

Nature bestows benefits onto humankind, and from time to time also presents hazards to humankind. Therefore, at the same time that the Japanese people love nature, they fear and revere it. The Japanese people thought that they could not subjugate nature, and had to obey nature and not anger it. This thought is fundamentally very different from the Christian thought that nature is a being to be subjugated by human beings. In other words, the Japanese people considered nature a being to coexist along side of. This concept of coexistent led to the development of Shinto which is a purely Japanese religion.

Shinto

Itsukushima Shinto Shrine

Shinto is the oldest religion in Japan based on polytheism, worshiping nature or spirits like shamanism or animism. In Shinto belief, God exists everywhere – in the mountains, rocks, rivers, trees, birds, animals and people. Rituals are a means to communicate with the gods and Shinto shrines are places to perform the rituals. Therefore, Shinto shrines are considered as sanctuaries. Various Japanese aesthetic concepts mostly come from this kind of view on nature, therefore no one can understand Japanese aesthetics without understanding the Japanese view of nature.

Shinto Shrine

Shinto shrines originated from the Japanese view of nature, which is a fundamental aspect of Japanese aesthetics, so you can experience the atmosphere of it through this video.

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Our Feelings For Kakejiku

The Japanese people have long set a high value on aesthetic senses since ancient times. As a result, the peculiar culture which is not seen in other countries blossomed and many aspects of the modern Japanese culture come from it. Parts of Japanese culture has been introduced to people in other countries recently, so the number of people from other countries who are interested in Japanese culture has been increasing. However, the Japanese aesthetic senses, which are the bases of Japanese culture, have been nurtured through a long history, intertwining various elements intricately, such as climate, geographical features, religion, customs and so on. Therefore, they are very difficult to understand not only for people from other countries, but even for the Japanese people. I think the best tool which conveys these difficult senses understandably is a “kakejiku.”
The kakejiku (a hanging scroll; a work of calligraphy or a painting which is mounted and hung in an alcove or on a wall) is a traditional Japanese art. It's no exaggeration to say that paintings are what express aesthetic senses at all times and places. The kakejiku is an art which expresses the Japanese aesthetic senses. The kakejiku has long been used in traditional Japanese events, daily life and so on since ancient times. As a result, there are various customs of kakejiku in Japan; kakejiku and the life of the Japanese are closely related. We can see Japanese values through kakejiku.
The kakejiku is a cultural tradition which the Japanese people should be proud of. However, many people in other countries don't know much about it because it hasn't been showcased as much. This is why I decided to try to introduce it. The kakejiku world is very interesting and beautiful. We want not only the Japanese, but also many people from other countries to know and enjoy it. I hope that many people will love kakejiku someday.

Art Nomura is an art dealer which produces kakejiku (hanging scrolls). We mount many paintings and calligraphic works in kakejiku in my factory. Kakejiku are our main product. We also remount and repair old or damaged kakejiku. We share the traditional Japanese art of kakejiku with people all over the world.

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The Japanese people have long set a high value on aesthetic senses since ancient times. As a result, the peculiar culture which is not seen in other countries blossomed and many aspects of the modern Japanese culture come from it. Parts of Japanese culture has been introduced to people in other countries recently, so the number of people from other countries who are interested in Japanese culture has been increasing. However, the Japanese aesthetic senses, which are the bases of Japanese culture, have been nurtured through a long history, intertwining various elements intricately, such as climate, geographical features, religion, customs and so on. Therefore, they are very difficult to understand not only for people from other countries, but even for the Japanese people. I think the best tool which conveys these difficult senses understandably is a “kakejiku.”
The kakejiku (a hanging scroll; a work of calligraphy or a painting which is mounted and hung in an alcove or on a wall) is a traditional Japanese art. It's no exaggeration to say that paintings are what express aesthetic senses at all times and places. The kakejiku is an art which expresses the Japanese aesthetic senses. The kakejiku has long been used in traditional Japanese events, daily life and so on since ancient times. As a result, there are various customs of kakejiku in Japan; kakejiku and the life of the Japanese are closely related. We can see Japanese values through kakejiku.
The kakejiku is a cultural tradition which the Japanese people should be proud of. However, many people in other countries don't know much about it because it hasn't been showcased as much. This is why I decided to try to introduce it. The kakejiku world is very interesting and beautiful. We want not only the Japanese, but also many people from other countries to know and enjoy it. I hope that many people will love kakejiku someday.